Identifying the size of the calorie deficit generated by exercising is important for weight loss programs.

This article reviews the findings of this study and provided charts of calories burned per hour for various types of exercises.

Estimates are provided of the time taken to burn 2lb or 1kg of weight for a range of exercises and intensities.

How Much Exercise is Required to Lose 2lb or 1kp of Weight?

The tables below summarize the calories burnt for different types of exercise and the hours of exercising required to lose 2lb or 1 kg, which is the suggested maximum loss rate when downsizing. They show that to lose 2lb or 1kg will require about 30 hours of slow walking (2 mph), that burns about 200 calories per hour. Running quickly at 8 mph would require about 7 hours to burn off the 7,000 calories need (3,500 calories for 1 lb).

Obviously the weight loss benefits of exercising will be reduced if people gorge on food when resting after a workout.

Findings from the Research Study

For the studies reviewed, the duration of exercising range from 30 to 120 minutes. Intensities range from about 40-80% of the maximum oxygen consumption rates for the subjects.

No restrictions were placed on the meals eaten during a period up to 2 hours after an exercise session.

The amount of food consumed and its energy content was assessed for each subjects.

Results

► There was no evidence of anything but a trivial increase in absolute energy intake for 2 hours post-exercise.

► There was good evidence that the exercise created a large energy deficit that was not offset by overeating during the two hour period after exercise.

► The findings were similar for all types of exercising and applied to aerobics, gym work and strength training.

The conclusion was that exercise does burn calories, and does produce a short-term energy deficit. But, most people do not compensate for the energy deficit by overeating post-exercise and by changing eating habits and food intake.

This is good news for anyone trying to lose weight. Many weight-loss studies have shown that exercise can help people lose weight. But the facts and figures show that exercising is a slow road to weight loss because the amount of exercise to lose a pound of fat or a kilogram of weight is much higher than people expect.

Weight Loss Through Exercising Alone is a Hard Road to Tread

Doing the calculation is a bit daunting. You need to burn about 3,500 calories to lose a pound, 7,000 calories to lose 2lb or 1kg of weight.

So if you're burning 300 calories in one workout, it will take you nearly 12 workouts to lose one pound.

If you cut your calorie intake by 300 calories in addition to burning 300, it will take you half as long to lose a pound or excess weight.

Skipping lunch and snacks could mean that you will eat 600 calories less each day by consuming less food.

The tables below summarises the energy loss expected for different types and intensity of exercising.

To consume 600 calories extra a day would require about an hour a day of thesemoderately demanding exercises:

Tennis, singles

Roller-blading

Aerobics, high impact

Backpacking

Ice skating

Racquetball

Skiing, cross-country

Hiking

Rowing, stationary

Skiing, water

Swimming, laps

Aerobics, water

Or it would require 30 minutes a day of high demand exercises such as:

Rope jumping

Running at 8 mph (12.8 kph)

Tae kwon do

Stairs treadmill

Running at 5 mph (8 kph)

Basketball game

Football, touch, flag

All the low demand exercises would require 1 1/2 hours of exercising each day, such as:

Canoeing

Bowling

Dancing, ballroom

Tai chi

Walking, 2 mph (3.3 kph)

Obviously the most efficient way to lose weight is to reduce calorie intake andexercise regularly.

Calories burnt per hour for various activities for 3 weight groups and number of hours to lose 2lb, 1kg with the exercise (listed with highest intensity first)

Calories burnt per hour for various activities by weight groups

160 lb (73 kg) calories burned per hour

200 lb (91 kg) calories burned per hour

240 lb (109 kg)calories burned per hour

160 lb (73 kg) hours to lose 2lb (1kg)

200 lb (91 kg) hours to lose 2lb (1kg)

240 lb (109 kg) hours to lose 2lb (1kg)

Rope jumping

861

1074

1286

8.1

6.5

5.4

Running at 8 mph (12.8 kph)

861

1074

1286

8.1

6.5

5.4

Tae kwon do

752

937

1123

9.3

7.5

6.2

Stairs treadmill

657

819

981

10.7

8.5

7.1

Running at 5 mph (8kph)

606

755

905

11.6

9.3

7.7

Basketball game

584

728

872

12.0

9.6

8.0

Football, touch, flag or similar

584

728

872

12.0

9.6

8.0

Tennis, singles

584

728

872

12.0

9.6

8.0

Roller-blading

548

683

818

12.8

10.2

8.6

Aerobics, high impact

533

664

796

13.1

10.5

8.8

Backpacking

511

637

763

13.7

11.0

9.2

Ice skating

511

637

763

13.7

11.0

9.2

Racquetball

511

637

763

13.7

11.0

9.2

Skiing, cross-country

496

619

741

14.1

11.3

9.4

Hiking

438

546

654

16.0

12.8

10.7

Rowing, stationary

438

546

654

16.0

12.8

10.7

Skiing, water

438

546

654

16.0

12.8

10.7

Swimming, laps

423

528

632

16.5

13.3

11.1

Aerobics, water

402

501

600

17.4

14.0

11.7

Aerobics, low impact

365

455

545

19.2

15.4

12.8

Resistance (weight) training

365

455

545

19.2

15.4

12.8

Softball or baseball

365

455

545

19.2

15.4

12.8

Golfing, carrying clubs

314

391

469

22.3

17.9

14.9

Skiing, downhill

314

391

469

22.3

17.9

14.9

Walking, 3.5 mph (5.6 kph)

314

391

469

22.3

17.9

14.9

Bicycling, < 10 mph (16 kph), leisure

292

364

436

24.0

19.2

16.1

Volleyball

292

364

436

24.0

19.2

16.1

Canoeing

256

319

382

27.3

21.9

18.3

Bowling

219

273

327

32.0

25.6

21.4

Dancing, ballroom

219

273

327

32.0

25.6

21.4

Tai chi

219

273

327

32.0

25.6

21.4

Walking, 2 mph (3.2 kph)

204

255

305

34.3

27.5

23.0

How Exercise Intensity and Duration Affects the Calories Burnt for various exercise types (listed with highest intensity first)